The Elephant Story

Andrew Carnegie's first bridge construction with the use of steel was a very controversial topic of discussion among the members of the area. Many believed that Carnegie's bridge was a complete failure and deemed the structure unsturdy. To prove this false, Carnegie took drastic measures. He had once heard an old wives tale that an elephant would not cross a surface if it was unstable. So, Carnegie rented an elephant to cross the bridge. He then made the crossing of the structure a public parade led by the elephant and Carnegie, himself. This led to Carnegie's popularity in steel construction and proved the reliability in his products.